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| Mitt Romney's bid to close gap with Latino voters finds lukewarm success | Mitt Romney's bid to close gap with Latino voters finds lukewarm success |
| (4 months later) | |
| It is a Mitt Romney unfamiliar to most Americans. He appears with a bronze tan. He speaks of his father's Mexican upbringing. He makes no mention of undocumented immigrants. He speaks Spanish. "Soy Mitt Romney, y apruebo este mensaje". I'm Mitt Romney, and I approve this message. | It is a Mitt Romney unfamiliar to most Americans. He appears with a bronze tan. He speaks of his father's Mexican upbringing. He makes no mention of undocumented immigrants. He speaks Spanish. "Soy Mitt Romney, y apruebo este mensaje". I'm Mitt Romney, and I approve this message. |
| The Republican party's right-wing would probably be less approving but it tends not to see or hear such messages because this version of Romney airs on Spanish-language media and is aimed at Latino voters. | The Republican party's right-wing would probably be less approving but it tends not to see or hear such messages because this version of Romney airs on Spanish-language media and is aimed at Latino voters. |
| The GOP and Super Pac supporters have ramped up this parallel advertising campaign in swing states such as Colorado, Florida and Nevada as a protective wall against the wave of Latino support for President Barack Obama. It does not appear to have worked. Consecutive polls show Obama leading Romney by around 70% to 30%. | The GOP and Super Pac supporters have ramped up this parallel advertising campaign in swing states such as Colorado, Florida and Nevada as a protective wall against the wave of Latino support for President Barack Obama. It does not appear to have worked. Consecutive polls show Obama leading Romney by around 70% to 30%. |
| "Much of the Spanish-language advertising for the Romney campaign has been very, very bad," said Gary Segura, a professor of political science at Stanford university and a principal at the polling firm Latino Decisions. "Although given the circumstances, there's not much any advertising campaign could have done." | "Much of the Spanish-language advertising for the Romney campaign has been very, very bad," said Gary Segura, a professor of political science at Stanford university and a principal at the polling firm Latino Decisions. "Although given the circumstances, there's not much any advertising campaign could have done." |
| The circumstances are the hard line Romney took on undocumented immigrants to clinch the Republican nomination earlier this year. He called for "self-deportation" – a euphemism to make life so miserable for the undocumented they leave the United States – and appointed Kris Kobach, the architect of Arizona's draconian immigration law, as an adviser. | The circumstances are the hard line Romney took on undocumented immigrants to clinch the Republican nomination earlier this year. He called for "self-deportation" – a euphemism to make life so miserable for the undocumented they leave the United States – and appointed Kris Kobach, the architect of Arizona's draconian immigration law, as an adviser. |
| Romney recognised the damage. Back in April reporters overheard him at a private fundraiser in Florida warning that Obama's lead among Latinos "spells doom for us". | Romney recognised the damage. Back in April reporters overheard him at a private fundraiser in Florida warning that Obama's lead among Latinos "spells doom for us". |
| Republican strategists concluded Romney did not need to match George W Bush's 44% Latino support in 2004 but that he needed to do significantly better than John McCain's 31% in 2008. | Republican strategists concluded Romney did not need to match George W Bush's 44% Latino support in 2004 but that he needed to do significantly better than John McCain's 31% in 2008. |
| Romney dispatched his son Craig, a former missionary in Chile who speaks fluent Spanish, to tour swing states. And in September the candidate appeared on Univision, the Spanish-language TV behemoth, to be grilled by María Elena Salinas and Jorge Ramos, the Walter Cronkite of Latino media. | Romney dispatched his son Craig, a former missionary in Chile who speaks fluent Spanish, to tour swing states. And in September the candidate appeared on Univision, the Spanish-language TV behemoth, to be grilled by María Elena Salinas and Jorge Ramos, the Walter Cronkite of Latino media. |
| Republican organisers packed the audience with whooping supporters and Romney acquitted himself reasonably well but commentary focused on his unusually deep, orange-tinted tan which triggered mocking accusations of cosmetic pandering to Latinos. | Republican organisers packed the audience with whooping supporters and Romney acquitted himself reasonably well but commentary focused on his unusually deep, orange-tinted tan which triggered mocking accusations of cosmetic pandering to Latinos. |
| "Too bad the oompa loompa population dwindled 25 years ago," said one tweet. | "Too bad the oompa loompa population dwindled 25 years ago," said one tweet. |
| Romney aides said he had been campaigning in Florida sunshine before the show. | Romney aides said he had been campaigning in Florida sunshine before the show. |
| With Latino numbers not improving the GOP and Super Pac backers like Crossroads GPS spent about $4.6m on Spanish-language television stations in Colorado, Florida and Nevada, according to Kantar media. | With Latino numbers not improving the GOP and Super Pac backers like Crossroads GPS spent about $4.6m on Spanish-language television stations in Colorado, Florida and Nevada, according to Kantar media. |
| The ads were mostly translated versions of Romney's English-language ads, tweaked to include references to his father's Mexican heritage and the "Soy Mitt Romney" sign-off at the end. | The ads were mostly translated versions of Romney's English-language ads, tweaked to include references to his father's Mexican heritage and the "Soy Mitt Romney" sign-off at the end. |
| He hammered the theme he would be a better economic steward. "Our economic recovery needs the success of the Hispanic community, but President Obama's misguided policies are dragging down businesses." | He hammered the theme he would be a better economic steward. "Our economic recovery needs the success of the Hispanic community, but President Obama's misguided policies are dragging down businesses." |
| Another ad showed euphoria for Obama in 2008, followed by Latino voters detailing broken promises. Another ad lamented Latino poverty and unemployment. "When Obama and his Democratic allies tell us 'Yes we can,' we have to tell them, 'We can't take anymore,'" says the narrator. | Another ad showed euphoria for Obama in 2008, followed by Latino voters detailing broken promises. Another ad lamented Latino poverty and unemployment. "When Obama and his Democratic allies tell us 'Yes we can,' we have to tell them, 'We can't take anymore,'" says the narrator. |
| The Obama campaign, however, spent twice almost as much, $8.9m, and the president, who like Romney does not speak Spanish, mastered phonetics for a 30-second spot of passable Spanish. | The Obama campaign, however, spent twice almost as much, $8.9m, and the president, who like Romney does not speak Spanish, mastered phonetics for a 30-second spot of passable Spanish. |
| "In the young people known as the Dreamers I see the same qualities that Michelle and I try to instil in our daughters," he intones, referring to young undocumented immigrants seeking citizenship. Images show the Obama family, followed by studious Latinos. "As a father, they inspire me. And as president, their bravery has reminded me that no obstacle is too large, and no road is too long." | "In the young people known as the Dreamers I see the same qualities that Michelle and I try to instil in our daughters," he intones, referring to young undocumented immigrants seeking citizenship. Images show the Obama family, followed by studious Latinos. "As a father, they inspire me. And as president, their bravery has reminded me that no obstacle is too large, and no road is too long." |
| Another spot features Cristina Saralegui, a television presenter dubbed the Latina Oprah, endorsing Obama in colloquial, rhyming Spanish. "Pa'tras? De eso nada! Pa'lante – con Obama!" Going backward? None of that. Forward – with Obama! | Another spot features Cristina Saralegui, a television presenter dubbed the Latina Oprah, endorsing Obama in colloquial, rhyming Spanish. "Pa'tras? De eso nada! Pa'lante – con Obama!" Going backward? None of that. Forward – with Obama! |
| The president scored additional points in May by phoning in to the popular Denver-based KBNO radio show, La Voz del Pueblo, to josh with the host Fernando Sergio about, among other things, the Broncos. Romney declined invitations to do likewise. Last week Sergio endorsed Obama. | The president scored additional points in May by phoning in to the popular Denver-based KBNO radio show, La Voz del Pueblo, to josh with the host Fernando Sergio about, among other things, the Broncos. Romney declined invitations to do likewise. Last week Sergio endorsed Obama. |
| The president also appeared on the same Univision forum as Romney (on a separate day) for the requested hour, unlike his rival who gave only 30 minutes. Pressed by the hosts over the lack of immigration reform, Obama said it was his term's biggest failure, a devastating admission were it not for Romney's vulnerability on the issue. | The president also appeared on the same Univision forum as Romney (on a separate day) for the requested hour, unlike his rival who gave only 30 minutes. Pressed by the hosts over the lack of immigration reform, Obama said it was his term's biggest failure, a devastating admission were it not for Romney's vulnerability on the issue. |
| "Some of Obama's ads go too far, they hint that the deferred action processis a path to citizenship when it's not, but Romney has no credibility with Latinos. We can tell when we're being attacked," said Jessie Ramirez, 31, a high school career guidance counsellor at a Democratic rally in Denver. | "Some of Obama's ads go too far, they hint that the deferred action processis a path to citizenship when it's not, but Romney has no credibility with Latinos. We can tell when we're being attacked," said Jessie Ramirez, 31, a high school career guidance counsellor at a Democratic rally in Denver. |
| A Fox News poll on Friday showed Obama leading Romney among Latinos by 66% to 28% – a whopping margin keeping him competitive in Florida, Ohio, Nevada and New Mexico. | A Fox News poll on Friday showed Obama leading Romney among Latinos by 66% to 28% – a whopping margin keeping him competitive in Florida, Ohio, Nevada and New Mexico. |
| Seguro, the analyst and pollster, said the Republican strategy, based on attack ads, now seemed to be discouraging Latinos from voting. "My sense is they've given up on trying to persuade and are trying to suppress by making people think, a pox on both your houses." | Seguro, the analyst and pollster, said the Republican strategy, based on attack ads, now seemed to be discouraging Latinos from voting. "My sense is they've given up on trying to persuade and are trying to suppress by making people think, a pox on both your houses." |
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